


Dreaming

by starprise_entership



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: M/M, set briefly after birthright part 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 18:37:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12415698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starprise_entership/pseuds/starprise_entership
Summary: Later that night, Data and Bashir dream.





	Dreaming

Later that night, Data dreams.

The atmosphere crackles with vigourous chatter, filling the room in a muffled symphony of noise. Squinting, Data moves forward through the crowd, pushing his way past the crowd. _Those faces which appear in the crowd do not seem to appear in my database_ , Data notes, curiously. Then again, everything is a dream, and dreams stem from imagination, which Data believes he does not have, not at this point.

But then he finds the young Doctor Bashir, at the centre of the crowd. The young man beckons to him excitedly and eagerly, and Data follows. The doctor has swapped out his Starfleet uniform for a neatly cut suit. Data looks down, and to his dismay he is dressed in his uniform, and certainly looks like a fish out of water. _No,_ Data shakes his head. _What I am feeling is not envy. I do not feel envy at not being able to fit in._ But is that the truth, or is something lurking beneath that thought? Deep down, Data knows that he desires to be human and that maybe, maybe this dream could be a representation of this life long dream.

So what was Doctor Bashir doing here?

Bashir gives a soft tug on Data’s sleeve, and glances at him with a friendly grin. Puzzled, Data tilts his head, slightly to the left in his signature (programmed) fashion.

  
_He seems to want to dance with me,_ Data muses. Shrugging, he lets the doctor drag him along into the throng of people, where they begin a slow, swaying waltz.

* * *

  
Later that night, Julian dreams.

He finds himself alone with Data. Where they are does not seem to be important - it just seems to be a blank room with blank walls and a blank floor. Data is still, as if waiting for a command. A blank slate.

“Why are you here?” Julian asks, confused. “In my dreams?”

Data shrugs. “I am not sure, Doctor. If this was your dream, I might have expected your mind to come up with something more...vibrant. Imaginative.”

“Yes,” Julian sighs. “But why you?” He lowers himself onto the floor, sitting cross-legged. He draws a finger across the floor, trying to provide a distraction for himself, but his mind keeps going back to Data.

“I don’t understand.” Julian opens his eyes, only to find Data next to him.

“You do not understand.” Data reiterates. “Then maybe, we shall go over your thoughts and analyse them. That could possibly give us a better understanding of your current state of mind.”

Julian smiles. “Well, you’ve surely gotten my attention.” He reaches up, wanting to slide a thumb across Data’s cheek, but stops himself short. “Attention.”

“Yes, doctor.” Data agrees. “Since your mind has decided to draw your mind away from the surroundings, seeing as they are all blank, I could conclude that your mind wanted to draw your attention to me.”

Julian swallows, clasping his hands. He’s wondering if he should say it now, or would it seem ridiculous, confessing to someone in a dream. He’s got the words at the back of his throat, but he’s not sure how exactly how to express that-

_I’m attracted to him._

“You’re more human than you think yourself to be.” Julian changes his mind.

Data gives a slight smile. “Thank you, doctor. Being human, or as close to human as possible, is one of my lifelong aspirations.”

“Then I hope you’ll be able to reach that one day.” Julian answers, hopeful. As the dream shifts away, his thoughts remain on Data for a while, and his night is mostly restless.

 

 

 


End file.
